WASHINGTON PARK — A large reunion party turned deadly Saturday when gunfire erupted near the gathering in Washington Park, killing one and wounding 13 others, according to police.
Officers were working to disperse a gathering in Washington Park’s namesake park, near the 5400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, around 11:30 p.m. Saturday when a person or multiple people opened fire on the crowd, police said.
Fourteen people were struck, including a 35-year-old man who was shot multiple times and was taken to nearby University of Chicago Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The gathering started as an afternoon picnic held once a year in Washington Park for former Robert Taylor Homes residents, said Tasha, who attended the event and was checking out the aftermath Sunday morning as Chicago Park District clean-up crews picked up trash left over.
The Robert Taylor Homes were a public housing development that housed more than 27,000 residents across more than 4,000 apartments stretching two miles along State Street in Bronzeville. They were razed in 2007.
Roughly 200 people were in attendance by Saturday evening, said Tasha, who declined to give her last name.
“It was peaceful all day,” she said. “Then for a minute I heard what I thought were fireworks at first. Then they got closer, and scarier. I ran for it, and I couldn’t get a good look at what was happening. The police response was pretty fast, seeing as how we’re next to the [University of Chicago] hospital, and I just saw a bunch of people laying on the ground.”
There were heaps of leftover food and other debris at the scene Sunday morning after picnic attendees “couldn’t get a chance to clean up” after themselves once the gunfire erupted, Tasha said. An adjacent family celebration was also disrupted by the shooting.
Tasha wasn’t able to make out where the shooting was coming from through the chaos as attendees ran for their lives. There didn’t appear to be an altercation that preceded the shooting, she told Block Club.
“It’s just sad,” she said. “Everyone was having a good time. We do this once a year for the community to come out and eat together, enjoy the park. It’s terrible.”
Chicago Park District c crews dispose of garbage at the aftermath of a mass shooting in Washington Park on Aug. 30, 2026. Credit: Charles Thrush/Block Club Chicago
The other victims include:
A 34-year-old man who was struck in his right shoulder and was taken to University of Chicago Hospital in good condition
A 39-year-old man who was struck in his right arm and leg and was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition
A 40-year-old woman who was struck in her right shoulder and was taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition
A 45-year-old woman who was shot in her left leg and managed to get herself to St. Bernard Hospital, where she was listed in good condition
A 26-year-old woman who was struck in her chest and was taken to University of Chicago in good condition
A 42-year-old man who was struck in the leg and was taken to University of Chicago Hospital in good condition
A 37-year-old woman who was shot in her body and whose condition is unknown
A 23-year-old man who was struck in his body and whose condition is unknown
A 35-year-old man who was struck in his body and whose condition is unknown
A 47-year-old woman who was brought to Northwestern Hospital in serious condition. It was unclear where she was shot.
A 23-year-old woman who was brought to University of Chicago Hospital in fair condition. It was unclear where she was shot.
A 43-year-old woman was who brought to University of Chicago Hospital in fair condition. It was unclear where she was shot.
A 21-year-old woman University of Chicago Hospital in fair condition. It was unclear where she was shot.
No officers were injured and no arrests have been made, according to police.
Saturday’s incident was the latest mass shooting — defined as a shooting where four or more are injured or killed — tied to a large outdoor gathering this summer in Chicago.
In late July, a mass shooting at a large outdoor gathering early Sunday morning left six people wounded in Humboldt Park. In Garfield Park, a July 4th gathering of hundreds of young people left a total of seven people wounded over two separate shootings.
In late June, at least 14 people were injured when two people opened fire on a large crowd gathered in Roseland.
Through last night’s shootings, we are reminded of the devastating impact of gun violence. In a matter of moments, a life can be taken, families can be forever changed, and communities can be left grieving.
— Mayor Brandon Johnson (@ChicagosMayor) August 30, 2026
Mayor Brandon Johnson commented on Saturday’s gun violence — which included a man killed and two others wounded in a Bronzeville shooting — by saying his office is in touch with police as they work to hold those responsible accountable.
“Through last night’s shootings, we are reminded of the devastating impact of gun violence,” Johnson said on social media. “We remain steadfast in our work to break these cycles of trauma by continuing to stop the flow of guns into our communities and investing in the resources that help prevent violence before it occurs.”
A $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case is being offered by Cook County Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information can call the nonprofit at 1-800-535-STOP (7867).
“This senseless act of violence has devastated another Chicago community and left families dealing with unimaginable pain,” Paul Rutherford, executive director of Cook County Crime Stoppers, said in a statement. “We cannot allow violence like this to become the norm. Someone knows what happened, and that person may be the key to solving this case.”